Doug Heltzel, 25, lived most of his life overweight.
He remembers being active as a child, spending a lot of time outside and playing soccer. He was always a goalie or defenseman because of his size. He ate sensible, home-cooked meals for dinner.
"I don't know if it's genetics or what, but I still gained weight," he said.
Doug, 6 feet tall, weighed 283 pounds his freshman year of high school before he started crash dieting, losing 120 pounds.
"Basically, I wasn't eating enough," he said.
He started to regain weight about two years ago, shooting back up to 255 pounds.
In November, his parents, Dave and Mary of Springettsbury Township, said he should join a gym to feel better about himself and release stress.
did, then later told them to take their own advice. They joined, too.Now, they're each at a different stage of weight loss, confronting their own challenges as a family in a struggle shared by more than 60 percent of the county.
Change in lifestyle
Doug regained weight when he bought his own home in Spring Garden Township.
He said he smoked a lot of cigarettes, didn't exercise, drank soda and had a freezer full of "bachelor-house food," such as pizza, Hot Pockets and Bagel Bites.
When he decided to join the gym, he also quit smoking. He worked with a personal trainer at Unique Physique in Springettsbury Township about three times a week for seven months, losing 65 pounds.
"(The gym) is a more sensible way to take care of things," he said.
Conflict of routine
Sat, Aug 28, 2010
Diet Plans